​10 years ago - 25-year-old Tatsu's husband Maseo is challenged by his brother Takeo, who kills him and his children with a enchanted sword called the soul-taker. Tatsu disarms him, but he escapes. She begins her war on the Yakuza as Katana.

1 years ago - 34-year-old Tatsu & the Outsiders are able to journey into the soul-taker thanks to Jason Blood. She is able to free the souls of her family. Tatsu retires, passing the Soul-Taker to Cassandra Cain.

There's a very good chance that Katana wasn't conceived as such a cool character. She was one of many characters built around a national identity just to give DC the illusion of ethnic diversity. Regardless of how her original idea was formed, he story expanded into an epic tale of familial revenge, and she grew into an intensely pure and fascinating character.

She wasn't included in Judd Winnick's reformed Outsiders, but as the lineup shifted she was one of the first characters brought in, and with very good reason. She a perfect member of that team, to the point where it's difficult to really imagine them lasting without her.

We made a major shift in her story by finally resolving it. The fact that she wields a soul-stealing sword means that there's a very clear path to saving her murdered husband and sons. By granting her her hearts wish, she can retire peacefully. This means we can give her closure, something very few comic characters actually achieve. We can even pass on the Soul-Taker to Cassanda Cain, allowing her to have a legacy. It's a win in every direction.